I am writing this blog update as I drive home from Colorado, feeling very nostalgic and missing my awesome family.
Shawn and Kellie were in charge this year and strayed from tradition. Instead of the usual camping destination we headed to cabins! Bear Paw Lodge was the name of the destination and because our group was 36 strong, we got the whole place to ourselves!
It was amazing! The cabins circled a common area that was decked out with volleyball, spikeball, ladder golf, corn hole, sandboxes, a swingset, firepit, life-size connect four and dozens of chairs for spectators. It ALL was used. Including the library of VHS movies they allowed us free access to. Each family got their own cabin but we cooked and ate in the common area. Jaedyn was bummed about sleeping in cabins this year and asked if she could bring a tent and sleep in it anyway. I was thrilled that she still wanted the camping experience and agreed to spoil her 😉
The car trip was long and included selfies and surprise pix like the one just below. Helen is our adopted plus one and it just isn't the same without her so we are so glad she makes our family get togethers a priority.
And it is never a trip in the wilderness without a hammock slung between 2 sturdy pines. The mosquito net is a definite bonus!
It was so fun to get all the cousins together again! And everyone was here this year- minus 2 missionaries (we missed you Andrew (in Jacksonville, FL) and Jeremy (in DC)!)
Shawn had the trip planned so well! He put Andie in charge of planning games and Hailey and Madelyn in charge of crafts. And boy did they plan! I'll probably forget some but for games there was life size angry birds, obstacle courses, life size hungry hippo on a slip and slide, and separate treasure hunts for the bigger kids and smaller kids. For crafts they had rock painting, bird feeders, and we brought up some patriotic hair tinsel just to keep things colorful.
We loaded the car with Jaedyn and McKinley and drove part way down on Monday afternoon stopping in Brigham City to pick up Helen. Because we didn't have tents and sleeping bags we were able to fit the guitar and ukelele which led to many musical evenings. We stayed that first night at the Legacy Inn in Price where we met up with Mom and Dad who drove with Brendan, Lilia, and Ebony.
Pulling in to camp and having almost everyone hanging out when we arrived was like coming home. It was so good to see everyone! And Shawn greeted us with burgers. Oh man, we ate so well all week! Dinners included hamburgers and melon, fagioli soup with salad and rolls, tacos in a bag, pulled pork with mac n cheese and salad, fish and chicken with homemade onion rings and fries. For breakfast we had strawberry, blueberry, and chocolate chip pancakes with fruit and parfaits and breakfast burritos on various mornings. Lunches consisted of portable food in order to allow us flexibility.
Somedays we were at camp doing activities like the above pictured hungry hippo.
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Other afternoons we hiked and spent time in the river. This particular trail was in the Weminuche wilderness which is part of the San Juan National Forest- I think it was called the Vallecito Creek Trail. We hiked about 4 miles in and 4 miles out. Those kids are so tough! And it was such a beautiful hike along a raging river with a few bridge outlooks. The areas where the trees parted revealed such crystal green/blue water. Absolutely gorgeous. And everyone was thrilled to dip their feet in the river where we stopped to picnic before heading back.
I had a couple of great helpers with dinner. We decided the cheese in the fagioli soup would be easier to clean out of pots than out of dutch ovens and chose to cook our food in those instead. BTW we were right!
One night we wandered down to the lake to scope out potential spots for our lake day. We didn't find the golden spot this trip but it was a pretty one anyway. Just a little small for our group.
I'm labeling the pic above "serenity".
This was one of the most popular activities in all of camp: loving on our new little arrival, Baby Sutton.
Lake day was fabuloso. We hauled a shade tent, snacks, and lots and lots of sunscreen! The maiden voyage of our new paddle boards (courtesy of an Al's flash sale) was a popular success. We played and splashed, some were brave enough to get all the way wet. Others of us were smart enough to recognize the misery that would follow such escapades. We paddled, played frisbee, and just enjoyed good company. That is until our fun ended abruptly. Playing frisbee in the shallow waters I felt something soft under foot. Thinking it was someone's lost water shoe I played with it with my toes until I could get a firm grip with my hand. Pulling it triumphantly from the waters I shrieked when I realized the shoe was in actuality... a dead fish. Ugh. Of course I immediately dropped it. I was not exactly in control of my senses at that moment in time. And of course my dear brothers teased me mercilessly about it. I moved down lake a little and continued to brave the contaminated waters playing, until an errant frisbee led me back to the same spot and I stepped on the dang thing again! Ew. I was out after that.
Me and my bros. Love em. Miss em like crazy. Someday I hope my girls will recognize the value that family is. I hope they will hold tight to the memories good and bad, that knit a family so closely together.
The original crew 😀
Look at the size of this group! 😍
And now, I am carsick and must end this entry. All good things must come to an end. But this is not the whole story- just the ending of a really good chapter! Love you family!!
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